La ville des pirates (1984)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Raoul Ruiz

Writer:

Raoul Ruiz (scenario)

Release Date:

December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy

Plot Keywords:

Evil Child | Cult Director | Island | House | Surrealism

Cast

Hugues Quester	...	Toby
Anne Alvaro	...	Isidore
Melvil Poupaud	...	Malo, l'enfant
André Engel	...	Le pêcheur
Duarte de Almeida	...	Le père
Clarisse Dole	...	La mère
André Gomes	...	Le carabinier

Also Known As:

A Cidade dos Piratas (Portugal)
City of Pirates (USA)
La ville des pirates (Rusticatio Civitatis Piratarum) (France) (complete title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

France | Portugal

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Baleal, Portugal

Company:

Les Films d'Ici

stunning piece of surrealist filming

Man, would I love to see this film again! The problem is, it has seemed to disappear completely; never shown in theaters or at festivals anymore, never shown on European television. I saw it twice, many years ago, and can't remember much detail, let alone a story-line if there is any. Ruiz' film is a gallery of stunning images, woven together to make a surrealistic masterpiece. A woman sleepwalking through a moonlit mediterranean village; a man on a terrace eating lunch, the camera inside his mouth. And best of all: a kitchen-scene in which someone opens a window and you can actually feel the temperature dropping. A wonderful wonderful film, but i don't know why. Isn't that the essence of all great art? Would I love to see this film again!